Apalachicola Riverkeeper

The Florida Legislature has approved a bill that prevents oil drilling near the Apalachicola River and Bay.

Saying the Florida Department of Environmental Protection did not adequately consider the sensitive nature of the area, an administrative law judge Monday said the state should reject a permit to drill for oil near the Apalachicola River.

The citizen group Apalachicola Riverkeeper has challenged the Department of Environmental Protection to prevent drilling in the floodplain.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has okayed a draft permit, and Apalachicola Riverkeeper is challenging it

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection approved a draft permit, but the citizen group Apalachicola Riverkeeper has challenged it

A renewed effort to explore for oil drilling in an environmentally sensitive area of Calhoun County in North Florida is now under legal threat.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection issued a notice of intent to approve the application by Clearwater Land & Minerals LLC to drill for oil in the Apalachicola River basin.

The proposed site is surrounded by the Apalachicola River, the Chipola River, and Dead Lakes. The Kleinfelder company wants to use a well that’s already there to drill through the Floridan aquifer in search of oil.

Both the water and the oysters are "in recovery mode"

Another drilling firm still has permits to explore in neighboring Calhoun County.